Latest Dell IPS displays cost $279, $299

After the deluge of low-quality TN displays that has flooded the these past five years or so, IPS panel technology is clearly making a comeback. Dell has now accelerated that comeback by introducing two new IPS-based UltraSharp displays, both with price tags under $300.

The 21.5" UltraSharp U221H is the cheapest of the two at $279, but the 23" UltraSharp U2311H only costs an extra $20. These monitors have many shared specifications, including 1920x1080 display resolutions, 1000:1 contrast ratios, 8-ms gray-to-gray response times, 178° viewing angles, sRGB color gamuts, and both DVI and DisplayPort connectivity.

Other than the panel sizes, Dell's spec sheets show one other major difference between the two panels: luminosity. The U221H is rated for 300 cd/m², but Dell says the larger U2311H only does 250 cd/m².

This isn't the first time we've seen an affordable 23" IPS monitor. NEC's EA231WWI has been available for some time, and Newegg sells it for $359.99 right now. That display and the cheaper U2311H have similar specs, although as far as we're aware, Dell is the only one to offer a zero-bright-pixel guarantee as standard. (Thanks to Engadget for the tip.)